Good Ships
by QueenAurora
Summary: "There are good ships and wood ships, ships that sail the sea. But the best ships are friendships, and may they always be." One-shot


_This story basically takes place during TAAOFHAW, somewhere in the distant future, but it's also unrelated. It's just to remind everyone that although you fight, with friends, family, your neighbours dog, in the end all that matters is family and friends. So if you have an argument, a disagreement, a fight or anything, don't leave it unresolved. Work it out. Fix it. Together. Because in the end, family and friends is all we have._

* * *

 **Good Ships**

"Wren?" Hiccup said softly as he pushed the door open, "you're here?"

No answer came, but he didn't need one. As soon as the door was open enough he could see Wrenlou on the bed. He was laying on his back, staring at the ceiling. Snowflake was curled up on the ground next to it. She looked up when he entered, but Wrenlou didn't move.

"Hey," Hiccup said while he walked closer, "I brought you breakfast."

"Thanks..." Wrenlou mumbled, but he didn't move.

Hiccup sighed and looked at him. Since he had brought him back Wrenlou had been different. The wounds had healed, the scars were fading, but Wrenlou didn't seem completely recovered. He would lay in bed all day, staring at the ceiling with an almost blank expression. He would jump at sudden loud noises, he hardly spoke to anyone. He was quiet, withdrawn, and sometimes he would snap so suddenly no one ever expected it. He had even reacted with violence a few times, trying to hit whoever was trying to help.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked while he sat down next to Wrenlou.

"Whatever..." Wrenlou mumbled again, but he didn't move.

"Look..." Hiccup started, "I know it's hard... believe me I do, I've been there. But Wren, something has to change."

Wrenlou turned his head a little, enough to be able to look at Hiccup. "Why..."

"Because you can't go on like this," Hiccup said, "you've changed, you're different. You're not the one I used to know."

"Well I'm sorry!" Wrenlou said while he sat up and pushed himself away from Hiccup, "it's not like you were back to your old self the moment we got home!"

"Wren it's been nearly a year," Hiccup said, "I know how it is to fight your way back from that, and I also know you can't do it alone. You helped me, now let me help you. If you don't want to talk to me, talk to someone else. Broghan, or Dale. Go to your parents and talk to them, but talk. We can't help you if you don't talk about it, and believe me we want to help."

"I'm fine," Wrenlou said but the slight tremble in his voice betrayed the truth, "I don't need help."

"Yes you do..." Hiccup said softly, reaching out to touch Wrenlou's shoulder, "you do..."

"Don't touch me!" Wrenlou yelled and he swatted Hiccup's hand away, "leave me alone!"

"This is what I'm talking about," Hiccup said softly, "Wren, I know..."

"You don't know anything!" Wrenlou yelled again, tears welling up in his eyes, "none of you do."

"Then talk to us!" Hiccup said while he stood up, "talk to us so we do know. Help us understand! Tell us what's bothering you. Tell us where it hurts. Just tell us..."

"It doesn't matter!" Wrenlou yelled, the tears now slipping down his cheeks, "nothing matters! Just go away and leave me alone."

"I can't do that," Hiccup said, again trying to reach out to Wrenlou, only to have his hand pushed away again.

"Go away!" Wrenlou screamed, while he curled up with his back to Hiccup, "just go away. Nobody can help me. Everyone's just useless! Even you! Especially you! Now go away and leave me alone!"

Hiccup gasped as if someone hat hit him in his stomach, driving the air out of his lungs. Somewhere he knew that Wrenlou didn't mean the words he said, but they still hit him like a ton of bricks. For a moment, he couldn't move. He could only stare at Wrenlou's back, the word running around in his head.

Useless. Wrenlou had called him useless.

With that one little word memories of long ago came back. Memories of a darker time in his life, where he believed the words they had said to him. Where he had believed them when they told him he was useless. He had thought he would never hear that word again, not like that. Not used against him.

But here it was, floating around the room, almost echoing between the white walls. And he couldn't escape it. He stood up, stumbling like when he had just lost his leg, unbalanced, like a new hatchling. He tried to stay standing, but tripped over his own legs. He didn't stop when he hit the ground, crawling backwards before scrambling back to his feet and running out the room.

He hardly noticed how Toothless ran after him, crooning and cooing with worry. He ran straight to his own room, slammed the door shut and dove onto his bed, no longer able to hold back his tears. The feeling of betrayal was overwhelming, it was all he could think about. Wrenlou had betrayed him. Wether me meant it or not, he had called him useless. He had said the word he promised he would never say. Toothless gently nudged him, pushing his nose against Hiccup's chest. He hugged the dragon's head, still crying and unable to stop. His entire body shook with sobs and he couldn't hold them back.

"W... why did he say that..." he sobbed, "why Toothless... why..."

Toothless licked his hair in an effort to comfort him, but it didn't really help. Hiccup was caught in memories that had resurfaced after carefully being buried far away. He was crying like he had done so many times before, when he had been a little boy, endlessly bullied by the other kids, especially his own cousin.

At first he didn't hear the soft knock at his door, but when he finally did look up at the sound, he found that it was dark outside. He must have been here all day. Someone had come looking for him. He took a few deep breaths, trying to get himself together in case it was Broghan or Dale.

"W...who is it...?" he asked, barely able to hide the tremble in his voice.

"It's me..." he heard Wrenlou whisper, "please open the door..."

"No!" Hiccup screamed and he lunged at the door, pressing every last bit of his weight against it to keep it closed, "go away! I don't want to talk to you! I don't ever want to talk to you again!"

He wasn't sure if Wrenlou left, but he kept pressing against the door. After a while he gave up and slid down the wall, curling into a ball as small as he could manage. Every feeling he had been trying to get together exploded again, the betrayal, the hurt. Toothless curled around him, and he nestled against the dragon, the only friend he had left now.

He didn't know how long he had been there, but suddenly Toothless jumped up away from him, growling loudly. When he looked up a little he could see the dragon was standing in the opening of the room, wings spread to seem bigger. Outside he could see Snowflake, and most likely Wrenlou, trying to get into the room. He didn't move from his spot on the floor but simply waited. After a while Toothless came back, and that's when he knew Wrenlou had left again. He didn't care. He found that he couldn't care. He curled up under Toothless' wing again and stayed there, unwilling to even move again.

"Hiccup. Hey, Hiccup, wake up."

He shot up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The world around him was fuzzy, but he was just able to make out a face. When he blinked a few times his vision cleared up and Leila's face came into view.

"What are you doing sleeping on the floor?" she asked, but then she cut herself off, "never mind that. Get ready, we're leaving for patrol in 30 minutes. Make sure you're there or Broghan will have your head."

"Sure..." he mumbled, not looking at her, "I'll be there..."

"Hurry," she said while she stood up, "Broghan is not patient."

He nodded a little and watched her go. When the door closed he sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair. He didn't want to go on patrol, not now. But he also knew he had no choice. So he got ready, got Toothless ready, and flew down to the plaza. The others were there, waiting, and he landed next to Susan, as far away from Wrenlou as possible.

"Alright," Broghan said, almost cheerfully, "now that we're all here, lets go over it again shall we? It's patrol, so no funny business, no games. Stay with your buddy, and stay close. Hiccup, is there a problem?"

"No," Hiccup said quickly, "no problem. I'm good. Lets go."

"Okay then..." Broghan said, not quite trusting, "be safe. I want everyone back alive, understand?"

He mumbled something and mounted Toothless. He waited until everyone else was in the air, then followed, last in the line. He stayed a little behind, not wanting to talk to anyone, but Wrenlou fell back and came up next to him.

"Hiccup?" he asked, his voice hesitant, "can we talk?"

"No," Hiccup said bluntly, "leave me alone."

"Hiccup..." Wrenlou tried again, but Hiccup interrupted him.

"I said leave me alone! Go away!"

Wrenlou looked down at the saddle but didn't pull Snowflake away. It wasn't until Toothless hissed at the pair that they left, taking up position in front of them, flying next to Leila. He could hear her ask Wrenlou if he was okay, if something was wrong, if he needed help, but he blew her off. Just like he had done before, with Broghan. Hiccup had to fight to contain the tears that were lurking at the edge of his vision.

The flight itself was uneventful. Hiccup lingered behind the group for most of the way, but as soon as the island came into view, he reluctantly took his place next to Wrenlou, although he didn't look at him at all. He didn't know if Wrenlou looked at him, he didn't care.

"Fan out!" Broghan called, "watch your buddy!"

It was like it was automated. Spreading out in the wide V formation, flying over the island trying to see how many Titan Wings they could see. Nothing happened, the dragons below them didn't show themselves. All that was there was the thick black smoke that seemed to permanently cloud the island. It was coming from the ground, or it appeared to. It curled up from the holes and cracks in the stone, almost like ghostly fingers trying to catch them and drag them down into damnation. It almost seemed inviting to him. What he would give not to feel the pain he was feeling. Even if it meant he would die.

They almost made it to the end of the island without problem, but just before they broke formation to turn back, a roar rang through the air and in a reflex they covered their ears. It was so loud that it was deafening, the sound hurting their heads. The dragons whined, instantly uneasy, and they all knew what was lurking in the smoke beneath.

Still, it came out of nowhere, much closer than it had seemed based on the roar. It was suddenly there, a massive head that broke through the smoke, eyes wild with anger and hatred, teeth bared and fire ready to be released. And then it was, a roaring stream of fire that shot up in the air, singling out just one rider. Wrenlou. Whether he had been careless or just unlucky didn't matter anymore. All that mattered now that when that stream of fire reached him, he would be dead instantly. Hiccup gasped and in an instant all the pain and heartache were forgotten, the only thought in his mind that his friend was in danger, and that he would die if he didn't do anything.

He reacted, steering Toothless directly at Snowflake, a collision course, to knock both her and her rider out of the way of the flames. He could see how Wrenlou's eyes widened as he saw both the fire and Hiccup storming at him. They clashed into each other, spinning out of control, a tangled mess of wings and tails while both dragons fought to regain altitude, to avoid crashing on the accursed island below. The immense heat from the fire as well as the smell of burning hair and searing flesh filled their nostrils as the ground came closer and closer, unavoidable, unyielding. The last thing he remembered was someone screaming his name, a faint vision of Snowflake regaining her wings and climbing, before diving after him. Then he and Toothless smacked against the ground, and the world exploded into tiny fragments that disappeared into nothing.

0-0-0-0-0-0

He awoke slowly, his entire body feeling numb. When he tried to move he found that he was in a bed, probably in the hospital. His recollection of what had happened was vague, but he remembered going on patrol, the dragon, crashing... He groaned a little, trying to open his eyes and at long last he managed to open them, although his eyelids felt so very heavy, and his eyes kept closing again against his will.

"You're a bloody idiot you know that?" Wrenlou's trembling voice filtered into his mind.

He blinked a few times, getting his eyelids under control, then he turned his head some, seeing a vague figure at the edge of his bed. He blinked some more, and the figure came into focus.

"Wren..." he whispered, but as soon as he said the name the events from before patrol came back, and his eyes filled with tears.

"I'm sorry..." Wrenlou whispered, "I really am. I didn't... didn't mean... I didn't want to hurt you like that..."

Hiccup didn't answer. He allowed his eyes to close, but that didn't stop the tears.

"You're right..." he heard Wrenlou's voice, still next to him, "things have to change... I can't go on like this... knowing I hurt you... and you're still prepared to give your life for me... I... I should go..."

He heard the creaking of a chair, then soft footsteps. The door opened, but before Wrenlou could leave, Hiccup spoke up.

"Wait..." he said softly, "don't go..."

"Why not," Wrenlou said, tears audible in his voice, "I hurt you. I hurt you bad."

Hiccup turned his head and looked at his friend at the door. Now he noticed a bandage he hadn't seen before, a few tears that slipped past his cheeks. Wrenlou's black hair was even messier than usual, a clear indication he had been beside the bed for several days.

"I don't want you to go..." Hiccup whispered, and he coughed a little because his throat felt so dry.

Wrenlou hesitated for a moment, then closed the door and came back. He took a cup from the nightstand and tipped it at Hiccup's lips. He drank a few sips, then Wrenlou pulled it away again.

"Thank you..." Hiccup said with a sigh as he laid his head back.

"How..." Wrenlou started, "how do you feel?"

"I don't remember what happened..." Hiccup said, "and I don't feel anything..."

"You saved me," Wrenlou said after taking a deep breath, "me and Snowflake. You pushed us out of the way of the fire. Well, mostly out of the way... The numbness is from the painkillers. You're hurt pretty bad. We had to carry you back, you and Toothless. You were both unconscious."

A flash of fear had him suddenly alert. He looked at Wrenlou, his eyes wide open. "Toothless! Is he..."

"He's fine," Wrenlou assured him, "he's resting. Scrapes and bruises mostly, a broken rib. But if it hadn't been for you, it would have been much worse. Snow and I... we would've been dead."

"That's what friends do..." Hiccup mumbled as he closed his eyes.

"Even after..." Wrenlou started, but he cut himself off.

"Yes..." Hiccup said, a smile slowly spreading on his face, "because in the end, all that matters is family and friends. If you drive away everyone you ever have a fight with, there'll be no one left at the end."

"I thought I was the philosophical one..." Wrenlou said with a faint smile.

"Yes you hurt me," Hiccup said, making eye contact again, "but I also realized that in the end, all that matters to me is our friendship. Besides, I saved your life. You owe me big time."

Wrenlou couldn't help but laugh a little. "That I do," he said, rubbing the bandage on his arm, "so... you forgive me?"

"I forgive you," Hiccup said and the moment he said it he felt like a huge weight had been lifted of his heart, "I forgive you..."

"Thank you," Wrenlou whispered, wiping tears from his face.

Hiccup smiled as he looked at his friend. "So what happened to your arm?"

"Burned it," Wrenlou said, "but you should see yourself. You don't have any eyebrows."

"I don't..." Hiccup started, but then he saw the look on Wrenlou's face, "you're joking aren't you... yes you are... you're joking... that's not funny Wren, I'm injured!"

"I know," Wrenlou said, "I'm sorry. Although you did lose some hair though. Got burned."

"It'll grow back," Hiccup mumbled as he nestled into the pillows, suddenly tired, "'m sure it will..."

"Just like your eyebrows?" Wrenlou asked.

"Shut up..." Hiccup mumbled, but before he could say more he fell asleep, a smile still on his face.

* * *

" _There are good ships and wood ships, ships that sail the sea. But the best ships are friendships, and may they always be."  
_ _-Irish proverb-_


End file.
